Love and Friendship: The Story of Us
by An-Jelly-Ca
Summary: "If I never met you, I wouldn't like you. If I didn't like you, I wouldn't love you. If I didn't love you, I wouldn't miss you. But I did, I do, and I will." Marauders Monday Magazine!verse. SiriusxMarlene!angst, JamesxLily, RemusxDorcas. Chapter 3 Up!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N Hello, everybody! I have returned with what will be a two-shot about Sirius and Marlene. It takes place in the Marauders Monday Magazine Verse, as you may or may not recall from the last chapter (assuming you have read the story) Sirius and Marlene get in a huge blow-up. If you have not read the story, you may want to do so to prevent confusion.**

**Thanks to All Reviewers (In Advance)!**

**Dedication: To all my fellow Sirius/Marlene fans. Merry Christmas! And Happy Holidays!**

**Disclaimer: I only own Marlene's siblings together with do I need a pen name. The song is Story of Us by Taylor Swift, which I definitely do not own.**

"Marly, this is getting just a little bit ridiculous." Dorcas Meadows remarked to her best friend who was currently determinedly staring down at an ancient runes text book that was definitely upside down.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Marlene replied, still not looking up from her book.

"You have barely said three words to Sirius since your big blowup-"

"Blowups. Plural." Marlene replied tersely, finally removing her eyes from the book and huffing noisily in anger. "I refuse to be the one to apologize for this, Dorcas, I gave him another chance after the first incident, and then he had to go all Neanderthal on me again, as if I don't get enough of that as it is with my brothers, and maybe it wouldn't be so bad if he _liked_ me. But he doesn't. And I'm tired of waiting around for him."

"So, instead you're going to throw away your friendship with your oldest friend, because the two of you are too stubborn for your own good?" Dorcas demanded.

"I need to go talk to Professor Kettleburn about an assignment." Marlene said abruptly.

"That's not an answer, Marlene." Dorcas said sternly.

"I'll see you later." Marlene answered determinedly not noticing the pair of gray eyes boring into her back from across the common room.

_I used to think that one day we'd tell the story of us,  
And how we met…_

"Honestly, Sirius, you know I don't like to boss you around-"

Sirius gave his friend such a look of incredulity that James was forced to amend his statement.

"Well, at any rate, I don't like to talk about feelings," Which was true enough. "That's more Remus' thing, you know? But, I have to say that I think this fight you're having with Marlene is really just getting a tad ridiculous. No offense. But why don't you just go apologize or something."

"I'm not going to apologize for something that wasn't my fault." Sirius replied firmly. "_I _was just looking out for my friend, and the fact that _she_ made this into some conspiracy where I'm trying to control her, doesn't make this my fault."

"Fine, whatever," James said with a shrug. "But don't come crying to me when you're upset because you aren't speaking to your oldest friend anymore (1)."

"Whatever. I don't even miss her." Sirius muttered.

James snorted in disbelief. "Keep telling yourself that. Do what you want, just don't let it affect my championship Quidditch Team, or I _will_ end you, **painfully**."

"If you will excuse me, I have a date to be getting to." Sirius proclaimed as he rose from his seat.

"You're ridiculous."

"Can't hear you." Sirius yelled, already half way across the common room.

_And how the sparks flew instantly  
And people would say they're the lucky ones_

"This is fun." Brevis Birch, a Gryffindor chaser, whispered to Marlene's oldest younger brother Marcas.

Marcas grimaced in response. "This reminds me of when they were eight and they got in a fight over the best Quidditch team. They didn't speak for two weeks, at least not directly."

"Max, would you be so good as to inform the open side beater, that I've seen six year old little girls with broken arms with better aim than him, and that if he wants to win he should really get that sorted out." Marlene called to her youngest brother.

"Marlene says that you hit worse than a six year old girl with a broken arm." Max informed Sirius brightly.

"Well, maybe if our blind side beater weren't playing as though she were actually BLIND, I wouldn't have to zip across the entire field trying to pick up the slack." Sirius shot back. "But I understand if she just isn't strong enough to hit the heavy ball, being so very _petite_ and all."

"You son of a bitch." Marlene exclaimed zooming across the field on her broomstick.

"I never denied that," Sirius said with a smirk. "Is that your idea of an insult because it leaves something to be desired."

"Go dtachta na péisteoga do thóin bheagmhaitheasach (2)." Marlene spat back. "No, that is my idea of an insult."

Across the field Marcas and Maxwell looked half stunned and half on the verge of uncontrollable laughter. "Dude, you don't even want to know what she just said to you."

James seemed to finally snap out of whatever trance he had been in prior to this because he flew between them and gave them both his sternest I-am-Supreme-Dictator-of-Quidditch-and-I-Will-Actually-Disembowel-You-For-Interrupting-My-Practice-Glare, which would scare most people but didn't seem to faze either one of them. "That's enough. I am not going to have you two interrupting my practice, if you can't get along then get out."

James seemed to expect that they would sheepishly apologize or at the very least just remain silent, instead a heated 'fine,' burst out from both beaters and they descended to the ground and stormed out of the stadium.

"What are you all doing standing around?" James demanded of the remaining players. "Get back to work."

_I used to know my place was the spot next to you,  
Now I'm searching the room for an empty seat _

_Cause lately I don't even know what page you're on_

-Marlene-

Ancient Runes was one of Marlene's favorite classes, or at least it used to be, out of their friend group only she and Sirius had opted to continue to the N.E.W.T. level, which was normally more than okay, because Marlene had a lot of fun working on translations with Sirius, which usually involved finding new and creative ways to tell Slytherins that their mothers were having affairs with the gardener. However, now that she and Sirius were not on speaking terms the class was looking to be a lot less fun.

"May I sit here?" Marlene asked quietly.

"You're not going to ask me about carrots again are you? (3)" Caradoc Dearborn asked warily.

"Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a Knarl's needle in my eye." Marlene promised.

Caradoc eyed her strangely, but nodded his acquiescence. "Is there any particular reason you're not sitting with Black?"

Marlene snuck a glance over her shoulder to where she knew Sirius was sitting, if she had looked a few seconds earlier she would have seen a vaguely hurt expression on his face, which had been quickly replaced with an obviously jealous glare. Instead of seeing either of these things she saw Sirius in the process of chatting up Emmeline Vance, laughing loudly at whatever it was she was saying to him.

-Sirius-

"You're looking especially lovely today, Vance," Sirius said bestowing his most charming smile on the Ravenclaw girl.

"Sod off (4)." Emmeline replied with a scowl turning back to the essay she had been reading over.

Sirius laughed loudly. "Oh, Vance, you slay me,"

"I wish I could." She said narrowing her eyes at him.

"You don't mean that," Sirius proclaimed easily. "You would be lost without me."

"I have an idea, why don't we try it; you disappear just as long as it takes me to miss you." Emmeline suggested hopefully.

"I could never allow you to go through so much torment." Sirius exclaimed chivalrously.

"I really wish you would."

-Marlene-

"We had a disagreement." Marlene replied after tearing her eyes away from Sirius and Emmeline.

"I can see that." Caradoc agreed. "About anything in particular? Because, I have to say I've never seen you guys not speak for this long."

"I spoke to him three days ago." Marlene replied.

"Oh, really?" Caradoc asked.

"Yes," Marlene confirmed. "I told him that I hoped worms choked his worthless behind."

Caradoc actually laughed at that. Across the room Sirius glared.

Needless to say, by the end of the lesson neither Sirius nor Marlene knew what they were supposed to have learned that day.

_Oh, a simple complication,  
Miscommunications lead to fallout,_

"Hello, Marlene, may I sit down?" Remus requested politely. Marlene heaved a sheaf of books out of his way and gestured for him to sit.

"What brings you to my neck of the woods?" Marlene inquired. Ever since she and Sirius had gotten into a fight, Sirius had been keeping to one end of the common room, and Marlene to the other, while their friends went back and forth between them.

"I was just hoping to have a friendly chat," Remus replied innocently.

Marlene leaned back in her armchair and crossed her arms. "You were hoping you could convince me to make nice with _him_."

"_He_ happens to be your oldest friend, Marlene," Remus countered sternly. "I can't even believe the two of you are fighting over something like this. Is pride more important than your friendship? Because I can promise that if you don't do something soon that's the only thing you are going to have left."

"He seems perfectly happy without me," Marlene replied, her face carefully blank.

"Is this about Ancient Runes?" Remus asked his eyes widening slightly in comprehension.

"You heard about that?"

"Yes, I did, and I get that you were probably hurt by whatever happened with Emmeline, but you know she can't stand Sirius."

"It doesn't matter," Marlene waved off his explanation. "If you'll excuse me, I have a date,"

"You two are without a doubt the most stubborn individuals I've ever met." Remus exclaimed.

"Look, Remus, I get that you're trying to help, but you don't need to, Sirius and I will either make up or we won't, and that's for us to figure out." Marlene answered as she rose from her chair. "Anyway, I really need to get going, I want to change before I meet Vernon."

Remus actually groaned aloud at that. "Of all people you're going out with him."

"I am not having this conversation with you," Marlene replied.

"You're just like Sirius, you know," Remus shot back.

"Can't hear you." Marlene called sprinting up the girl's staircase.

_So many things that I wish you knew  
So many walls up, I can't break through_

"Hey, Dorcas you don't happen to know where Marlene is, do you?" Sirius asked shifting his weight nervously from one foot to the other as he wanted for a response from the blonde haired girl.

Dorcas looked uncomfortable. "It's like this-"

"She's with _him_, isn't she?" Sirius' face turned cold.

"Don't be like that Sirius," Dorcas began. "She misses you."

"Forget it." Sirius shook his head. "I have to go."

"Do you want me to tell her you were looking for her?" Dorcas asked hopefully.

"No." He turned on his heel and stormed out the portrait hole. Dorcas met her boyfriend's eyes across the room and exchanged a look of mutual grievance.

_Now I'm standing alone in a crowded room  
And we're not speaking_

"That is the third time I called your name, Mr. Black, is it really that hard to pay attention?" Professor McGonagall question warily.

"I apologize; I was simply lost in your eyes." Sirius replied in his most charming tone.

The transfiguration professor was not amused. "Detention, Mr. Black and do try to pay attention."

James paused in his task of covertly flirting with his girlfriend just long enough to exchange a wince of sympathy with his best friend.

"Miss McKinnon, are you perhaps able to answer the question?" McGonagall asked directing her attention to where Marlene was sitting with Dorcas. Dorcas ordinarily sat next to Remus, but had been forced to give up sitting with her boyfriend after it became clear that Marlene and Sirius were no longer willing to sit next to each other.

"I'm sorry, what was the question again?" Marlene asked sheepishly.

"Is it honestly that difficult to pay attention to what I'm saying, or were the two of you out late last night pranking unsuspecting first years…again?" McGonagall looked expectantly from Sirius to Marlene and back again.

"Actually, she was busy making goo-goo eyes at Bludstrod last night," Sirius answered.

Marlene scowled. "How exactly is that any of _your _business?" She had turned bodily in her seat to stare back at him over Lily's head.

"Whatever. Do what you want. See if I care." Sirius replied.

"That's quite enough from the both of you. Miss McKinnon, you can join Mr. Black in detention for the next week. Eight o'clock."

_And I'm dying to know  
Is it killing you like it's killing me, yeah_

Sirius Black was the kind of person who laughed at the idea of detention as a punishment. But this time sitting in an empty classroom alone with Marlene was making for agonizingly slow torture.

McGonagall had set them to writing an essay (five rolls of parchment) about why they should pay attention in class and why their personal business should not be a topic of discussion in class.

He peaked a glance at Marlene, she was twirling one of her curls around her index finger as she scribbled on her parchment, (literally probably scribbled, because she had _atrocious_ handwriting). He remembers squinting at the notes she would pass him in class, and he misses his friend just that much more.

He wondered if she misses him too, or if she's happy with Bludstrod. He unconsciously tightens his hand around his quill and he hears an ominous snapping noise.

"Son of a bitch."

"Here," He never even saw her get up. "I have an extra one." She added handing him a new quill.

"Er, thanks."

She nods without meeting his eyes and retreats back to her seat.

They work in silence for the rest of the night.

_And I don't know what to say since a twist of fate,  
When it all broke down _

"Where is Dorcas?" Marlene demanded.

"I think she and Remus went somewhere." James replied.

"I gave him my quill today," Marlene exclaimed.

"Uh, what?" It wasn't often that James Potter was confused, but at this moment he was.

"We were fucking best friends, and today I could barely hand him a quill,"

James' mouth formed a round 'O' of recognition. "You're talking about Sirius."

"Of course I am." Marlene replied staring at the bespectacled boy like he had four heads. "There we were sitting in detention, and all of a sudden he snaps his quill, and I give him mine, and do you know what he says?"

"Uh, no?"

"He says 'er, thanks,'" Marlene exclaims like it's a curse word.

"And, that's a bad thing?" James asks looking puzzled.

"Yes, it's a bad thing," Marlene snaps. "You don't know how hard it is, it's so hard,"

"Handing people quills?" James is honestly really confused at this point.

That was obviously the wrong thing to say because all of sudden she's crying, and James is standing there awkwardly patting the top of her head, with no idea what to do, fervently wishing that Dorcas, or Remus, or Lily, or really anyone besides him were here, because he was never any good at comforting crying people.

"Uh, what the fuck?" The newcomer looks from the crying Marlene to James and back again.

James never thought he had been so grateful to see another person in his entire life.

"Here, take her." He all but shoves the crying Marlene towards her brother and sprints for his dormitory. "See you later Marlene, Marcas."

_And the story of us  
Looks a lot like a tragedy now_

When James gets to the dormitory, he finds Sirius sitting in the dark staring at the ceiling in silence.

"Are you alive?" He asks cautiously.

Sirius shoots him a poisonous glare that James decides to interpret as "yes," rather than the "what the hell have you been smoking," manner in which it was intended.

"You're not going to cry are you?"

"Seriously, James, are you drunk?" Sirius shoots back.

"No," James replies. "As it happens I just encountered a very distraught individual, and-"

"Mars is crying?"

"Who said that?" James counters.

"What's wrong with her?" Sirius asks. "Not that I care or anything."

"You're ridiculous."

"Just tell me why she was crying."

"I never said she _was_ crying." James counters.

"Don't make me hurt you, Prongs."

"I don't even know," James finally said. "It had something to do with a quill."

"Are you sure you're not drunk?"

"Positive, although right about the time she started sobbing all over me, I wished I was." James responds. "Apparently, thanking a girl for a quill is a bad thing to do, you should really stop doing that, Padfoot."

"Fuck." Sirius curses. "I didn't mean to make her cry."

"I feel like I'm missing something here." James looks honestly confused about what exactly makes quills worth crying over. "What about a quill is so, uh, depressing?"

"It's not about the quill, James."

"I don't understand you people." James frowns.

"I'm tired of this, Prongs." Sirius admits. "I hate this, I hate fighting with her."

"Then stop." James says simply.

"It's not that easy."

"It really is," James replies. "Just go down there, march up to her, and tell her you're sorry."

"This wasn't all my fault." Sirius says stubbornly.

"Maybe not, but it was at least partially your fault, which means that there is no reason why you shouldn't apologize, and every reason why you should, starting with the fact that you do not want to throw away this friendship."

"I'm going to bed."

"You're an idiot."

"Can't hear you." Sirius calls through the now closed curtains.

_Next chapter…_

**A/N Review!**

**Sirius and Marlene met at a Quidditch Match when they were six, the actual scene is in my story 'Dreaming with a Broken Heart.'**

**Go dtachta na péisteoga do thóin bheagmhaitheasach-May worms choke your worthless butt.**

**During first year in Charms class Marlene is partnered with Caradoc for cheering charms, and asks him whether he has ever fed carrots to a deer. This actual scene is in the story Si Fecisti Nega, If you did it deny it, by do I need a pen name and I, co-authored under the account SiRiUsLyInSiRiUsDeNiAl. **

**Emmeline has hated Sirius since that same charms class during first year.**

**Anyway, Merry Christmas, everyone! Next chapter will be up soon since I am on break until January 8****th****. :D**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N Hello, all, I am aware that I suck, am terrible at updating, etc, etc. However, after a long summer interning with no internet, and no laptop for a large portion of it, I am back and ready to update. This update is brought to you in celebration of Pottermore! Look out for updates on all of my HP stories, as they are receiving update priority in honor of the new website.**

**Thanks to all Reviewers!**

**Dedication: To paintthesummer, whose review for the last chapter made my day.**

**Disclaimer: The only characters I own are Marlene's siblings who are jointly owned by myself and do I need a pen name. **

"You look like shit…" Marcas noted sliding into a seat next to his older sister at the breakfast table. It was early still and not even the teachers had made their way to the Great Hall yet.

Marlene glared.

"…In the nicest possible way of course," He backtracked swiftly.

Marlene glared harder.

"It's kind of true though…"

Marlene was certainly not looking her best; she had been up half the night sobbing, and her eyes were red-rimmed from the experience. She hadn't bothered with any of her usual (mostly futile) attempts to tame her overly rambunctious hair and had instead piled the enormous mound of orange curls on top of her head in a messy ponytail that curls kept springing free from every few minutes. Her skin was pale under her freckles, and she looked like she could use a decent night or five of sleep.

"Whatever." She said finally. "It's not like it matters what I look like."

Marcas didn't miss the way her eyes darted to the other end of the table where Sirius was holding court with a group of giggling sixth year girls.

Marcas had always been fond of Sirius, but this was his sister, and he was more than a little bit fed up with the way the other Gryffindor had been treating her recently. If he had looked closer he would notice that Sirius' smile was strained and that his laugh was just slightly too loud to be real.

Not noticing any of these things, Marcas simply saw the cause of his sister's misery having a fun time with a bunch of airheaded girls while his sister had spent half the night sobbing.

Without saying a word to Marlene, he strode over to the other end of the table and stopped in front of Sirius.

"Can I have a word with you?" He asked curtly.

"Sure," Sirius replied easily. "I'll see you later, ladies," He said with a wink that set them into a new fit of giggles.

Marcas waited until they were a good five feet from the table.

…And then he punched Sirius in the jaw with as much force as he could muster.

He braced himself for a returning blow but one didn't seem to be forthcoming. Several other things did happen however; he heard several alarmed screams from the pack of girls Sirius had been entertaining, Marlene tried to get up, tripped over the hem of her robe, and collided with a group of sixth year Slytherin boys, one of whom attempted to cop a feel, resulting in a swift punch to his eye.

One of his friends decided that he didn't appreciate Marlene's response and grabbed her by the hair, dragging her back when she attempted to walk past them. This of course led to shouts of outrage from the Gryffindor table.

Marcas would have headed over there himself to let them know how he felt about them touching his sister, but before he could do anything, Sirius had stormed over to the group and skipping any formalities had hexed the guy holding onto Marlene.

This resulted in roars of indignation from his cronies who immediately retailed…by attacking Marlene.

"Oi, pick on someone your own size!" Sirius shouted.

Marlene huffed angrily as she aimed a kick for the Slytherin currently holding her around the waist.

At this point James and Remus who had just wandered into the Great Hall accompanied by Dorcas and Lily spotted the fight. James groaned in dismay, and Remus signed in resignation, however they both swiftly made their way over and began simultaneously attempting to fight off the Slytherins and extricate Sirius and Marlene.

"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?" Professor McGonagall shrieked upon walking through the doors and spotting the ensuing conflict.

Everyone froze, perhaps thinking they would become invisible if they stood still long enough.

**How'd we end up this way?**

"I have never seen such insubordination, such disrespect, and worst of all this fight was started within our own house. I cannot believe that you started this, Marcas McKinnon, to demonstrate such a blatant disregard for basic decorum, I expect better." McGonagall fumed, as Madam Promfrey bustled about patching up injured students.

Marcas looked like he was going to argue with her, but he was silenced by a swift kick from his sister. "Er, sorry, professor."

"I doubt it. But you will be." The transfiguration mistress replied. "I have had just about enough of this nonsense. First of all fifty points from Gryffindor for your actions, Mr. McKinnon and you will be scrubbing the floor of the dungeons with a toothbrush until they return to their original color-"

"And what color would that be, Professor?" Marcas ventured cautiously.

"White." McGonagall answered, the corners of her mouth twitching slightly with what might have been a smile if allowed to grow up.

"But they're BLACK right now." Marcas exclaimed sounding revolted.

"Precisely." McGonagall replied. "Perhaps you shall think before you decide to punch a member of your house in the future."

"So, he can punch people of other houses?" James ventured from a few cots over.

"Five points from Gryffindor, Potter."

"It was just a point of clarification, Professor." James protested.

"Moving on," McGonagall said completely ignoring his complaints. "I understand that one of you saw fit to lay hands on Miss McKinnon," She said glaring at the gaggle of Slytherins on the other side of the hospital wing. "That is inexcusable, reprehensible behavior, and I am appalled at the lot of you. One hundred fifty points from Slytherin. You will all be attending detention with me, every night for the next two weeks, and during your detentions we will be discussing appropriate treatment of women, since you all seemed to have missed some critical lessons in that area."

There were some grumbled protests, but no one dared to speak up. This was the angriest any of them had ever seen McGonagall.

"Black, Potter, Lupin, I gather that you were attempting to help Miss McKinnon, which is noble, but your methods of doing so were inadvisable at best, therefore I award you each ten points and three nights of detention. Count yourselves lucky." She finished, finally she turned to Marlene and spoke in a somewhat more sympathetic tone. "Miss McKinnon, I don't see any cause to punish you for as all of your actions seemed to be in self-defense, however do try to be more careful in the future."

With that final word McGonagall strode out of the hospital wing.

**See me nervously pulling at my clothes and trying to look busy,  
You're doing your best to avoid me.**

"Are you okay?" Marlene asked Sirius quietly after McGonagall left.

"'Course." Sirius answered with a nod, not meeting Marlene's eyes.

"Um, that's good." Marlene replied awkwardly, fiddling with the sleeves on her robes. "Not that I needed your help or anything." She hastened to add.

"Why would you?" Sirius agreed.

"I'm glad you know that." Marlene answered softly. "I had better be going. Come on, Dorcas." Without waiting for a reply, she turned on her heel, seized the other witch above the elbow and dragged her out of the ward after her.

"You two are so dumb." Remus sighed in exasperation.

"Whatever." Sirius mumbled. "Let's just go."

**I'm starting to think one day I'll tell the story of us,  
How I was losing my mind when I saw you here,  
But you held your pride like you should've held me.**

_Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick._

Marlene could literally hear the time passing as she stared blankly at her Arithmancy textbook. It was a Saturday and she was in the library, _studying_, at nine in the bloody morning. Marlene didn't do mornings, and she definitely didn't do mornings spent cooped up in the library studying.

_Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick._

Of course, it's not like she'd had a whole lot else to do lately. But, you would think she'd at least have better grades with all the time she'd spent studying. Unfortunately, she wasn't actually having an easy time when it came to the focusing bit.

She wondered what Sirius was doing-wait no, she didn't because Sirius didn't matter to her-and, she didn't need him-

And, oh, Merlin, she was lying to herself now that has to be a whole new kind of low.

_Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. _

In the darkest, most secret-est corner of her heart, she always kind of dreamed that she and Sirius were meant to be, and that they would grow up and get married and have six or seven kids, and a whole gaggle of grandchildren that would set about livening up Hogwarts for generations to come.

Of course, the most logical, practical part of her brain had always whispered that she wasn't flashy enough for Sirius, she was good enough to be his friend but nothing else, and sometimes she wished that she were less 'cute' with her short stature, curly hair, and freckles, and more like those statuesque blondes that every guy she knew seemed to salivate over.

_Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick._

But then, it's not like she would ever say anything to Sirius because what would be gained by that? He wouldn't return her feelings, he couldn't. And then she would have lost her best friend. Although, it's not like it much matters anyway; since they've already been reduced to shouting across classrooms and muttering out the occasional request for quills.

She kind of thinks she's going insane, like she's trapped in this alternate dimension where nothing at all makes sense, because how could anything make sense when she exists separately from Sirius. If such a thing can be called existing. For almost as long as she can remember it has always been Marlene and Sirius, Sirius and Marlene.

She hears the door to the library open and she looks up briefly and spots Sirius walking in with James at his side, which is really odd, because those two wouldn't be caught dead in the library.

For some reason, and she doesn't really know why she swiftly moves out of their sight ducking behind a cart of books.

"I'm telling you Sirius, you need to get over this stupid fight, it's really not worth it," James says in the tone of someone who has said something many times before and is beginning to lose hope that it will have any impact.

"And, I've told you, I have absolutely no desire to make nice with her," Sirius snaps back.

Marlene's breath hitches involuntarily, she knows that she's said that and worse multiple times to Dorcas, and Remus, and anyone who will listen, but it's a whole other thing to hear it on Sirius' lips.

"Sirius-" James starts.

"I don't need her." Sirius interrupts in a curt tone.

Unbidden, a sob escapes her lips, and Marlene squeezes her lips together tightly to compress further emotion.

She sees James look towards her hiding spot with narrowed eyes, and she thinks he knows she's there, but he doesn't bring Sirius' attention to it.

"Let's go, I don't see Lily's book anywhere." James says finally.

At least that explains why they were here, the part of her that doesn't feel like it's disintegrating into a million tiny pieces concludes.

_Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick._

**Oh, I'm scared to see the ending,  
Why are we pretending this is nothing?**

"Hello, Dorcas, Marlene" James greeted the two witches cordially. "Aren't you supposed to be with Remus right now?" He asked Dorcas without waiting for a response to his greeting.

"No," Dorcas replied. "Remus is doing patrol right now,"

"Aren't you supposed to be helping him with that?" James asked.

"No, because I'm not a prefect, ergo…"

"I really, really, think you need to go meet Remus." James emphasized.

"Well, I guess I will just go do that." Dorcas said getting to her feet, and shoving her textbooks back in her bag. "I'll see you later, Marly, and as always James your subtlety astounds me."

"Later, Dorcas." James called absently after her.

"So, want to come for a walk with me?" He asked Marlene.

"If you were just going to ask me to leave the room anyway, why did you bother sending Dorcas away?" Marlene asked.

James flushed. "It was necessary."

"You didn't think about it, did you?" Marlene asked knowingly.

"I refuse to answer that, now just come with me, okay?" James answered waving off her comment.

"I'm kind of trying to study." Marlene huffed.

"Your book is upside down."

"I'm um, working on a new study technique?" Marlene tried.

"Sure, now why don't you take a little break, from your clearly rigorous studying and come have a chat with your dear friend James?"

"Fine," Marlene ground out.

"Excellent," James grinned, and proceeded to tow Marlene from the room and toward the nearest door out of the castle. "So." He finally said when they were standing near the lake watching the giant squid propel lazily about.

"So?" Marlene repeated.

"You miss Sirius." James stated plainly.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Marlene scoffed.

"I know you were in the library this morning." James crossed his arms and stared the short witch down unblinkingly.

Marlene wavered. "Shinach (1)."

"I'll take that as a compliment." James replied.

"It wasn't one." Marlene shot back.

"Eh." James shrugged. "Now, admit you miss him."

"What would I gain from that?" Marlene demanded. "It wouldn't change anything. And, besides Sirius and I are better off apart."

"Why are you acting as if this fight is nothing?" James demanded. "The two of you have a whole hell of a lot in common, beginning with the fact that you are both too hardheaded to see what's right in front of you, and ending with the infuriating pride that you both suffer from, you would both rather lose each other than say you're sorry." He snapped out.

Marlene looked away across the water. "I don't like this anymore than you do."

"Then say something, do something!" James exclaimed.

"I can't."

"You can't or you won't?"

**I'd tell you I miss you but I don't know how,  
I've never heard silence quite this loud.**

"You two are honestly the only people I know who can be loudly silent." Dorcas complained to Marlene from their spot in the far corner of the common room.

Sirius was seated with Remus and Peter on the other end of the common room, sitting with his arms crossed and not even trying to pretend that he was working on his homework. Instead he was just staring blankly into space, while Remus and Peter carried on a conversation around him.

"It's a gift," Marlene's lips twitched in what could have been a smile if allowed to grow up. She gave Sirius what Dorcas would have called a fond glance if the two weren't committed to hating each other.

"Why don't you just say you're sorry?" Dorcas wondered. "Surely, you two have had much worse fights in the past?"

"Sirius and I have never really fought." Marlene negated.

Being with Sirius had always felt like an extension of herself, like she always knew what he would say and what he was thinking the same as she knew what she wanted to have for breakfast. It was part of the reason they made such a great team as beaters, because they always knew what the other one was thinking, and could quickly get into position.

"Marly-"

"I don't want to hear it, Dorcas."

**Now I'm standing alone in a crowded room and we're not speaking,  
And I'm dying to know is it killing you like it's killing me, yeah?**

Normally, the day people look forward to in February is the fourteenth; it's the day of flowers, candy, chocolate, and a million other silly little traditions. Sirius and Marlene had made rather a hobby of mocking the sickeningly sweet couples that seemed to spring up all over the place that day.

The day they always made sure to celebrate was the seventeenth of the month, a day of no particular significance to anyone but themselves. Sirius and Marlene became friends on February seventeenth, when they were just five years old.

They normally celebrated the day with a particularly spectacular prank, one they planned out for weeks prior to the event. This year was supposed to be the prank to end all pranks.

February seventeenth had fast become a day that students looked forward to with great anticipation, and the teachers dreaded. Thus, it was not surprising when McGonagall strode into their Transfiguration class that day with a look of extreme suspicion.

Marlene slouched down in her seat next Dorcas and hid her face behind her hair. Sirius was staring blankly into space, not even pretending to pay attention to whatever Remus and James were saying to him.

The lesson was very scattered as McGonagall kept twitching in fear every few minutes as though something was going to explode at any moment, and the rest of the class kept glancing between Sirius and Marlene clearly expecting something to go down at any moment.

"Class dismissed." McGonagall said finally. "Black and McKinnon, you stay after, I need to speak with you both."

Marlene obediently shuffled to the front of the room, determinedly not looking at Sirius.

McGonagall waited until the other students had filed out before she spoke. "All right, when is it going to happen? I know you two have to have something planned?" She demanded impatiently.

"Honestly, Professor, and I won't presume to speak for Marlene, but I don't have anything planned, besides attending Quidditch practice, and maybe doing some homework." Sirius answered.

"And, how about you, Miss McKinnon?" McGonagall asked surveying the younger witch over the top of her spectacles. "What are your plans for the evening?"

"I was going to go visit Hagrid before Quidditch, I go see him a couple times a month, and I make dinner usually." Marlene replied. "He has a new pet he wanted to show me."

"Are you two quite alright?" The Gryffindor head of house questioned.

"Of course, my dear Minnie," Sirius said with a charming smile.

"I'm great." Marlene agreed with false brightness.

"Very well, be on your way then."

**I don't know what to say, since the twist of fate when it all broke down,  
And the story of us looks a lot like a tragedy now.**

"So, uhm, that was weird, right?" Sirius mused as they headed towards Ancient Runes.

"Yeah," Marlene cleared her throat awkwardly. "I-I guess she thought we were going to do something, 'coz it's the seventeenth, and everything."

"Oh. Is it really?" Sirius asked nonchalantly. "I hadn't realized."

"Yeah, I hadn't either, until McGonagall started acting like a scarred rabbit." Marlene hastened to clarify.

"I can't believe we even made such a big deal about the whole thing in the past." Sirius said with a shrug.

"It was silly, really." Marlene said with a nod that sent her curls bobbing all over the place.

"Mmhmm." Sirius muttered. "Well, we're here." He nodded towards the door to the classroom. He strides into the room and claims a seat next to Emmeline Vance, immediately slipping an arm around the back of her chair.

"Miss me, Vance?" She hears him say. Then she ignores the rest of the conversation and sits down in between Caradoc Dearbron and Fabian Prewett and begins laughing loudly at their clearly hilarious conversation about the traditional rune translation method vs. the reform method.

**This is looking like a contest,  
Of who can act like they care less,  
But I liked it better when you were on my side.**

"I have called you all here to have a very important discussion." McGonagall announced. "I have ignored the situation long enough, because I try not to meddle in the private affairs of my students, but I cannot allow this to continue any longer. What precisely is going on with Miss McKinnon and Mr. Black?"

"They got into a really stupid fight, and haven't spoken in months." Dorcas summed up.

The crowd she had assembled included James, Remus, Dorcas, Lily, and Peter. She had called them all to her office for an impromptu meeting following her discussion with Sirius and Marlene earlier that morning.

"Do you know what I found strange about today, Mr. Potter?"

"What's that, Professor?" James asked cautiously.

"I have made it through most of the day so far, and there has been no prank, no explosion, nothing. And can you think of a February seventeenth, in which life at Hogwarts has been allowed to proceed normally?"

"No." James replied.

"I do believe it is past time for Miss McKinnon and Mr. Black to resolve whatever issues they have. And you five are going to take care of it."

"Erm, what?" Remus asked clearly shocked by the Transfiguration professor's plans.

"What did you have in mind, Professor?" Lily spoke up.

"You lot are going to pull off a prank worthy of their usual displays. I will of course be forced to award them detention as everyone with half a brain will know that they are responsible. I will confiscate their wands, and then you will make sure they cannot escape the room until they have made up. I will not have any more of this feuding going on in my house, and certainly not within my Quidditch team."

"Wow…professor, did you just suggest we prank people?" Peter asked.

"I am so proud to be in your house." James exclaimed gleefully.

"If you tell anyone about this I will of course deny everything." McGonagall emphasized. "No get to work."

"Of course. We provide only the best." James said with a bow.

**The battle's in your hands now,  
But I would lay my armor down  
If you said you'd rather love than fight.**

Dinner was a strange affair that night. The hall was hushed with anticipation; everyone clearly expected something big to happen at any moment. Some of the seventh years, who knew the situation with Marlene and Sirius carried on eating as normal, since it seemed pretty clear that nothing was going to happen.

It happened just before dessert; or rather it happened when dessert should have happened. Except that instead of dessert shooting forth on the platters in the middle of the table, something very strange happened.

Gold slime burst forth enveloping everyone at the Slytherin table. Attempts to vanish it caused it to grow larger.

At Ravenclaw table bludgers made out of paper burst forth, colliding with chairs, and walls, and exploding colorful red and gold candies.

At the Hufflepuff table a rainbow of glitter shot forth and safety scissors appeared next to every member of the house.

Fireworks shot into the air from the Gryffindor table, they exploded and formed the number twelve, which (un)coincidentally was the number of years Sirius and Marlene had been friends.

"Detention! Miss McKinnon, Mr. Black, I am shocked by this display, such disregard for basic decorum, and to lie to me like you did this morning! Unbelievable! Come with me immediately." McGonagall demanded.

Sirius and Marlene were both looking on in horror. "We didn't do anything, I swear! Or at least I didn't!" Marlene exclaimed.

"I'm innocent! For once, really." Sirius seconded.

"At least own up to it." McGonagall scowled having reached them. She grabbed each of them by an ear and dragged them from the Great Hall ignoring their loud complaints.

The last thing Sirius and Marlene saw before they made it out of the room was James winking at them both. They let out identical howls of outrage.

**So many things that you wished I knew,  
But the story of us might be ending soon.**

**A/N Review! Next chapter will be out soon. **

**(1)-Sly Bastard**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N I know you are all currently in shock by the fact that I am actually updating this story in a timely fashion. I can feel your amazement. You should be extra impressed as I don't even have Microsoft Word currently because Dell deleted it off my computer, because they have no clue what they are doing, so I have to get on the phone with Microsoft. Anyway, I apologize if there are any grammar errors in this I am trying to proof them as best I can but being that I am using wordpad it is rather difficult. **

**Thanks to all Reviewers!**

**Dedication: to do i need a pen name, I would just like to say first of all thanks for reviewing, second ha, for being in school when I'm not, and third I would like to gloat for finishing my first story in our Taylor Swift challenge first. **

**Disclaimer: I own nada! **

"You can't seriously believe we did this," Marlene protested loudly once they had arrived in an empty classroom near the dungeons (where no one could hear them scream), she thought with a shudder.

"Yes, shocking as it may seem to you, Miss McKinnon, I _can_ believe you did this," McGonagall said dryly. "This is right up your alley, every February seventeenth for the last seven years I have been tormented by pranks from the two of you beginning with that horrible incident when you were first years and you abducted students and locked them in portrait frames (1), and now up to this most recent case of shenanigans." She said sternly.

"_Shenanigans_?" Sirius mouthed at Marlene with a suggestive wiggle of his eyebrows, before he froze and abruptly looked away. It was tough business ignoring your best friend especially in the midst of unjust persecutions and lectures containing the word shenanigans.

"Who else would possibly have done something like this?" McGonagall continued onwards blithely ignoring the sidebars.

"James." Marlene said in a tone that implied it was rather a stupid question.

"I assure you that Potter had absolutely nothing to do with this, in fact he was in my office with me this afternoon serving out a previous detention," McGonagall replied swiftly looking unfazed.

"Ever heard of a time release charm?" Sirius said sarcastically.

"Watch your tone," McGonagall snapped. "And you seem to know an awful lot about how this prank was achieved, now don't you?"

Sirius looked ready to tear his hair out in frustration.

"Now, hand over your wands," McGonagall commanded imperiously.

"Excuse me?" Marlene asked looking horrified.

"Hand your wands over to me, I will be holding onto them for the duration of your detention." Their head of house repeated ignoring the looks of outrage on both of their faces.

Sirius and Marlene sighed, reached into their pockets and handed over their wands, placing them into McGonagall's outstretched hand.

"What exactly is it that we're going to be doing?" Sirius asked with a resigned sigh.

"I'm glad you asked that, Mr. Black," McGonagall said a positively bone-chilling smile settling over her face.

Marlene involuntarily moved closer to Sirius.

She gestured to the back of the room where there were stacks of large plastic crates. "These crates contain records of every disciplinary infraction the two of you have received in the last seven years."

Marlene looked pale, Sirius gaped in horror.

"Oh yes," McGonagall said looking as though she were having the time of her life (and she probably was), "You two are going to sort through every single slip of paper, and prepare an oral presentation detailing every single prank you have ever pulled and why they were immature and foolish on your parts, and then you will have the honor of giving this presentation in front of the entire school tomorrow evening at dinner,"

"You can't be serious." Sirius looked horrified.

"Of course not," McGonagall replied.

Sirius and Marlene experienced a brief moment of relief.

"Only you can be Sirius," and with that last soul crushing remark she strode out of the room, leaving them to get to work.

**Now I'm standing alone in a crowded room and we're not speaking,  
And I'm dying to know is it killing you like it's killing me, yeah?**

McGonagall found James, Remus, Lily, Dorcas, and Peter stationed outside of the door.

"They're all yours," She informed them, striding swiftly past them and not waiting to see what they planned to do next.

"Well, seeing as how they have no wands, I'm guessing a pretty simple locking charm should do it." James noted.

"Indeed." Remus concurred, pulling out his own wand. "_Colloportus_," he intoned.

"They are going to be so angry when they get out of there," Peter said worriedly.

"If, if they get out of there." James replied.

"If, if is good (1)." Peter brightened.

"Of course they're going to get out of there, you morons," Dorcas snapped. "They will realize what blockheads they're being and they will be released, besides the only one they think is involved is James, because like a proper idiot he went ahead and winked at them."

"They're going to _kill _me," James paled.

"There, there," Lily said patting him on the shoulder absently. "With any luck they'll be too lovestruck to bother with you."

"Yeah right," Remus snorted. "Love for them probably is pranking other people."

"Stop ruining his hopes," Lily said lightly. "There's plenty of time for that."

"Now, we had better get back to our common room and leave them to overcome their idiocy," Dorcas directed steering everyone in the direction of Gryffindor tower.

**I don't know what to say, since the twist of fate when it all broke down,  
And the story of us looks a lot like a tragedy now, now, now.**

"I am going to_ kill _James," Sirius intoned grimly, as he and Marlene began to unstack the large crates. "First I will stick my hand down his throat and pull out his intestines, and then I will use them to choke him, and meanwhile he'll be screaming, no, please, don't kill me, and I'll just cackle evilly and-"

"That's amateurish really," Marlene scoffed. "When I get out of here, I am going to kidnap everyone on our quidditch team except for him and lock them up in a room, I will then take a hair from each of them and place them into brews of polyjuice, which I will then feed to the most incompetent, uncoordinated individuals I can find, I will confound them into thinking they really are the person they are disguised as and then they will insure that we lose the Quidditch Cup," Marlene paused. "And, that, is how it's done." She said with a triumphant bow.

Sirius looked briefly awed. "He would never recover."

Marlene smiled evilly, a smile to stop the heart, and freeze the muscles. "I know." She looked positively gleeful.

"I know we're not talking, strictly speaking," Sirius began, "But, I would be willing to set aside our difference on this matter in order to destroy James."

Marlene considered. "It would be a pleasure," She decided. "But, for now we had better get started on this detention work, before McGonagall ends us.

**And we're not speaking,**

"It's our very first detention slip," Marlene noted after they had been working in silence on sorting through the slips for at least an hour.

"Ah, yes, the ceiling prank, that one will go down in history." Sirius said nostalgically.

"The page is blotted with tears, and it has several lines that were scored through repeatedly, including one that appears to say 'why my house, why, why, why?'"

"Did my dear Minnie write that one?" Sirius inquired.

"Yes,"

"Well, she warmed up to us eventually." Sirius said with a shrug.

(Somewhere on the other side of the castle, Minevera McGonagall felt a shiver of horror run down her spine.)

They lapsed back into silence at this point and the room was silent other the scrawl of their quills across parchment.

As they worked each of them could not help but be seized by brief pangs of sadness and nostalgia as they read through the pranks they had performed during the heights of their friendship, before they had let a silly quarrel pull them apart.

**And I'm dying to know is it killing you like it's killing me, yeah?**

This time it was Sirius who broke the silence by throwing his quill down in frustration. "This is impossible,"

"I can't believe we've done this many pranks," Marlene agreed rubbing her eyes tiredly.

"Perhaps, this isn't a real assignment, maybe she just wanted us to realize how many pranks we've committed, and like apologize, or something and then she'll let us go," Sirius said hopefully.

"It's worth a shot," Marlene concurred. "Let's go." She rose to her feet and bounded to the door, Sirius following right behind her.

She reached the door and yanked on it, only to discover it wouldn't open.

"Let me try, you're probably too, eh," Sirius trailed off at the angry look she sent him.

"Care to finish that sentence?" She asked challengingly.

"I'm fine, thanks." Sirius said shaking his head, but still reaching around her to try the door. "It's locked."

"No, _really_." Marlene said her eyes wide with false shock.

"No need to get so testy," Sirius reprimanded.

Marlene ignored the comment as she had bigger fish to fry. "James did this."

"I will kill him." Sirius said.

"No, no," Marlene cautioned.

Sirius looked surprised.

"We will _destroy_ him. And when we're done he will wish for death." She said with an evil cackle.

Meanwhile, across the castle, James was seized with a sudden desire to take out a life insurance policy on himself.

**I don't know what to say, since the twist of fate 'cause we're going down,**

"Seeing as how we're not going to be getting out of here anytime soon, what are we going to do?" Sirius asked after a few moments.

"I thought maybe we could talk?" Marlene ventured not making eye contact with him.

"Fancy a chat on the Cannons prospects this season?" Sirius asked hopefully.

"I was thinking something a little bit closer to home," Marlene replied nervously. "Besides you know I only support the Irish. I'm a bit partisan that way." Which was an understatement if ever one had been uttered.

Sirius grimaced. "What is it you want to talk about," he asked leading the way over to two chairs, and pulling hers out for her in a gesture of exaggerated gallantry complete with a bow.

Marlene was too flustered to be amused by it. "I miss you, Sirius," She admitted quietly, twirling a ginger-colored curl around her finger as was her habit when uncomfortable.

"I'm right here," Sirius said with an easy grin, attempting to charm his way out of the conversation, as he normally did when uncomfortable.

"That's not what I meant,"

"I know." Sirius admitted grimly.

"Listen, Sirius, I just want to say that I'm really sorry for everything, and I just want to be your friend, I-"

"It's not your fault," Sirius interrupted, "I'm the one who started this, and I'm sorry for that-"

It was Sirius' turn to be interrupted. "Maybe it started out that way, but I blew this fight up way bigger than it had any right to be, and for that I am really truly sorry, just promise me that you forgive me and that we can be best friends again." Marlene said firmly.

"I don't want to be your friend,"

**And the story of us looks a lot like a tragedy now.**

Marlene looked like she had been slapped across the face. "W-what?" She managed to gasp out.

Sirius reached for her hand, the one that had been fooling with the curl, he gently disentangled it.

"I want to be so much more than just your friend." He replied, leaning down and gently capturing her lips in a kiss.

They broke apart after a few seconds, both of them grinning at each other stupidly, each totally and completely besotted.

Marlene laughed and launched herself into Sirius' lap almost unbalancing them and sending the chair tumbling backwards, but Sirius managed to hold them both up by grabbing a table for support.

"I want to be so much more than just your friend, too." She whispered. "Although you know this means no more blonde bimbos,"

"And no more brainless jerks for you," Sirius added. "But, I'll let you in on a little secret."

"What's that?" Marlene asked.

"I've always preferred orange hair." He said with a wink.

"It appears you're in luck then, I've got more than enough of that." Marlene said shaking her curls into his face to prove her point. "Now then," she continued, ready to get down to business. "There is just one more matter to settle,"

"What's that?" Sirius questioned.

"The slow torture of James Potter, of course." Marlene replied.

"I knew I loved you for a reason." Sirius said squeezing her hand tightly.

"And don't you forget it," Marlene said with a wide smile. "I love you, too." She added for good measure.

(The prank which followed was so absolutely devious that it has been known throughout Hogwarts history as the Incident of '76)

**The end.**

**A/N And thus concludes Love and Friendship: The Story of Us. Never fear, I shall eventually write a short story on the Incident of '76, however it did not suit my purposes to include it within this story. **

**Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed this story. **

**The pranks that are referred to throughout this chapter can be found in do i need a pen name and my co-authored stories archived under the name SiRiUsLyPiNkAnDgReEn.**

**Also the "if, if is good, etc, quotes come from the movie Hercules, which I absolutely love.**


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